Charles F. Hutchinson

Chuck Hutchinson (now retired) is a geographer with specializations in arid lands and remote sensing. His research focused on (1) developing inventory and monitoring techniques for agriculture and natural resources using satellite, air-borne and ground-based observing systems, and (2) advancing policies that promote the use of satellite data. He has developed and advised in the establishment of information systems using multiple data sources to (1) identify potential famine conditions in the Caribbean and Sub-Saharan Africa, (2) monitor environmental conditions in southern Africa and southwest Asia, and (3) assess land degradation in arid lands worldwide. During his 30-year career at the University of Arizona (UA), he was named a Gilbert F. White Fellow at Resources for the Future (sabbatical leave). He was also detailed from UA to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as Visiting Senior Scientist in the Applied Science Division of the Earth Science Mission Directorate where he later served as Acting Director. During his tenure at UA, he was Director of the Arizona Remote Sensing Center, the Office of Arid Lands Studies, and the School of Natural Resources and the Environment.